function banner_initiate(slideshowSpeed,photos,dir_banner)
{
	// Backwards navigation
	$("#back").click(function() {
		stopAnimation();
		navigate("back");
	});

	// Forward navigation
	$("#next").click(function() {
		stopAnimation();
		navigate("next");
	});

	var interval;
	var activeContainer = 1;
	var currentImg = 0;
	var animating = false;

	$(".thumba").click(function() {
		stopAnimation();
		change_banner($(this).attr('id'));
	});

	var change_banner = function(changeto)
	{
		// Check if no animation is running. If it is, prevent the action
		if(animating)
		{
			return;
		}

		// Check which container we need to use
		var currentContainer = activeContainer;
		if(activeContainer == 1) {
			activeContainer = 2;
		} else {
			activeContainer = 1;
		}

		showImage(photos[changeto], currentContainer, activeContainer);
		stopAnimation();
	}

	var navigate = function(direction)
	{
		// Check if no animation is running. If it is, prevent the action
		if(animating)
		{
			return;
		}

		// Check which current image we need to show
		if(direction == "next") {
			currentImg++;
			if(currentImg == photos.length + 1) {
				currentImg = 1;
			}
		} else {
			currentImg--;
			if(currentImg == 0) {
				currentImg = photos.length;
			}
		}

		// Check which container we need to use
		var currentContainer = activeContainer;
		if(activeContainer == 1) {
			activeContainer = 2;
		} else {
			activeContainer = 1;
		}

		showImage(photos[currentImg - 1], currentContainer, activeContainer);
	};

	var currentZindex = -1;
	var showImage = function(photoObject, currentContainer, activeContainer) {
		animating = true;

		// Make sure the new container is always on the background
		currentZindex--;

		// Set the background image of the new active container
		$("#bannerimg" + activeContainer).css({
			"background-image" : "url("+ dir_banner + photoObject.image + ")",
			"display" : "block",
			"z-index" : currentZindex
		});


		// Fade out the current container
		// and display the header text when animation is complete

		$('#bannertxt').show('fast', function()
		{
			$("#bannertxt").fadeOut("fast",function()
			{
				$("#firstline").html(photoObject.firstline);
				$("#bannertxt").fadeIn("slow",function (){});
			});
			/*$("#bannertxt").fadeIn("slow");*/

			$(".thumb").animate({"width": "80"},{queue:false, duration:600});
				$(".thumb").removeClass("active");

				$("#"+photoObject.thumb).animate({"width": "720"},{queue:false, duration:600});
				$("#"+photoObject.thumb).addClass("active");

			$("#bannerimg" + currentContainer).fadeOut(function()
			{
				setTimeout(function()
				{
					animating = false;
				},  500);
			});
		});
	};

	var stopAnimation = function()
	{
		// Clear the interval
		clearInterval(interval);
	};

	// We should statically set the first image
	navigate("next");

	// Start playing the animation

	interval = setInterval(function()
	{
		navigate("next");
	}, slideshowSpeed);


}